Golf Cart Tire Pressure
Correct golf cart tire pressure can extend the life of your tires and contribute to even wear of the tire treads. Maintaining proper air pressure is important for other reasons as well such as a enjoying a smoother ride, experiencing optimal speed and power, and contributes to less strain on your batteries.
Tire pressure maintenance is important for not only the safety of your cart but also for the life of your tire and for the quality of your ride.
What's The Correct PSI?
You will find the recommended Tire Pressure, or psi (pounds per square inch), on the tire’s sidewall.
Golf Cart tire pressure varies between each manufacturer and style of the tire.
You will find the recommended PSI on the golf cart tire's sidewall.
Low air pressure provides a smoother ride because you are getting more traction. However, the sides of your tires will wear faster too.
So get your pressure somewhere in the middle.
Check for the tires recommended psi with the manufacturer of your golf cart tires to see what is normally recommended.
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Checking Your Golf Cart Tire Pressure
To operate the AstroAI digital tire pressure gauge you press the trigger to turn on the display screen. It will say "0.0." Place the nozzle straight on the valve stem and press firmly to ensure a good seal.
Hold the gauge on the valve until the measurement display locks - it should take about a second. Remove the gauge to read the pressure. This is the one I use ...
Overinflated Golf Cart Tire
Higher pressure or overfull tires make the ride stiffer and the middle of your tires will wear faster.
In overfull tires the sides of the tires make little or no contact with the ground, the cart has less traction and compromises the safety of the ride.
Just ask my daughter and son-in-law. He was over-inflating his tires to around 50 psi. When I asked him, "WHY???" he stated it was because he lost air in the tires.
Well, he won't do it any more. Here is a picture of his overinflated tire that is worth a thousand words.
One afternoon, while my daughter was in the house, and thankfully
no one was on the golf cart or in the garage, the tire exploded with
such force that it blew out the rear light of the cart.
As you can tell, over inflating golf cart tires is dangerous. In fact the EZ-GO owner's manual warns:
"A tire explosion can cause severe injury or death. Never exceed inflation pressure rating on tire sidewall."
I happened to be over at the house shortly after it happened, and after a brief discussion of what the normal tire pressure should be, my son in law quickly deflated the rest of the tires.
They can't believe what a difference it has made in how the cart rides. My daughter said what used to be a rough, jarring and bouncy ride is now smooth and enjoyable.
Get yourself a good tire pressure gauge to get your golf cart tire pressure "juuuust" right. The one I recommend is a digital one that provides an accurate reading and can be found here at Amazon:
AstroAI Digital Tire Pressure Gauge 150 PSI 4 Settings with Backlit LCD and Non-Slip Grip
Flat Golf Cart Tire
You may find that one of your golf cart tires has developed a leak and has gone flat.
Luckily this tire went flat in my son-in-law's garage. He inflated it and then brought it up to a local auto shop to have the leak checked.
If they can find the leak it and it is small it can be plugged. Unfortunately, he needed a new tire. When replacing just one tire, you want to try to match the tread design so that the replaced tire looks just the other 3.
One of my golf cart tires had a slow, but consistent leak. Sometimes this kind of leak can't be found.
Some golf cart owners have had luck with using Fix-A-Flat. Keep a can handy and use it this way:
Attach the hose on the can to the tire valve, turn the can upside down and press the button. The tire will inflate and sometimes actually seal the puncture.
Golf Cart Tire Pressure, Performance and Tread
Check your tires for even wear of the tread.
See how there is hardly any tread left in the middle of the left tire in this overinflated golf cart tire?
The smooth, almost treadless (is that a word?) area in the middle
means that the correct tire pressure of this tire has not been
maintained.
It is a victim of overinflation :(
Tires that are under inflated means that the outer tread has too much contact with the road and will wear prematurely.
Too little and too much pressure will shorten the life of your tires.
It's not just the tires that are affected by low pressure but the performance of the golf cart as well. The batteries and the motor have to work harder, and the golf cart is unable to perform optimally. You may notice that it has less power or speed.
Maintaining proper golf cart tire pressure in your cart will help extend
the life of your tires and give you a better and safer ride. If it's time to replace your tires check out Amazon where you can get really get a good deal on golf cart tires.
Rotate Golf Cart Tires
Rotate your golf cart tires on a regular basis.
"Uneven weight differences between the front and rear of the golf cart can cause wear and tear. Keeping your tires rotated periodically keeps them as even as can be, thus cutting down on the wear and tear."
Ultimate FAQ For Golf Cart Tires
Signs of Golf Cart Tire Wear
When is it time to replace your golf cart tires? The same principles apply to your golf cart tires as they do to your automobile tires.
Signs of golf cart tire wear are easy to identify.
1. Worn and Thin Tread
As you can see from this picture, the tread is worn and thin. Check the treads of each of your tires. Depending on your use, golf cart tires should last around 2-3 years.
2. Cracks or Fissures in the Tread
Cracks can lead to air leaks, reduced tire pressure and even a tire popping. Check for any irregular bumps or swelling.
3. Reduced Speed
My friend was complaining about how his golf cart speed was getting slower even though his batteries were new and fully charged. I asked him how old his tires were and if they were at the right pressure. The next time I saw him he had 4 new tires and his golf cart speed had greatly improved.
Be sure to check your golf cart tire pressure regularly for an optimal ride and longer lasting tires.
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